Ruined Reunion

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 14th December 2019
Series: The Hallmaster's New Wife

Characters: Enamra, Thayde, Jalodwyn
Description: Enamra and Thayde's reunion is spoiled by Jalodwyn
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 1, day 6 of Turn 10

Enamra

Thayde

Enamra stood on the dock, watching the ship as it pulled in. Thayde
had been gone for a little over two sevendays, and in that time, she
had missed him greatly. She had often slept on his side of the bed,
and dinners were lonely affairs. In truth, she scarcely ate dinners
and perhaps she had lost a few pounds, but she didn't feel comfortable
eating in the Dining Hall with the other wives, especially since the
drinking incident. Eating alone was just depressing and the few
friends she had met hadn't been able to come except a few times.
Finlon, unfortunately had made his presence known, though. He'd asked
her to dine with him several times, it had been clear he was hoping
for more than a simple friendly dinner, so she'd declined.

Upon word that the ship was due, Enamra had taken care with her
appearance. Her hair was brushed until it shined and was neatly
braided and coiled around her head in a lovely coronet around her
crown. Her dress was one of her new ones, a sleek ocean blue that
hugged her slim waist and accented the slim bosom. Thayde had liked
the design, but hadn't ever seen her in it. She thought it was a bit
too snug, but looking at her reflection, she was sure Thadye would
like her in it. With eager anticipation, she waited for him to
disembark.

Jalodwyn waited on the railings, her hands tight on the wood. The two
sevendays had been an exercise in torture, staying so close to Thayde,
but with no closeness. After the first night, they'd barely spoken and
nothing she did could draw him back to her. Her one triumph however,
was to get his own Ada to confirm her pregnancy. The look on his face
had been enough to make the duty worthwhile. Now he knew what she'd
expected. They hadn't discussed it, but the knowledge seemed to loom
over both of them. So, since he hadn't decided to do the right thing
by her, she would force the issue. She would be the first off of the
ship and she'd find that little drudge he'd gone and married and let
her know everything. She'd made sure that Thayde would have to be
gathering his scattered things when the ship docked; he wouldn't be
able to get to her first. It wouldn't be hard to find out who she was.

The ship docked and walking down the gangplank, she figured the girl
would be waiting for him in the crowd of people. It didn't take long
to find someone to point out the girl. Jalodwyn followed the pointing
finger and her lips parted in shock. _THAT_ was his wife? That skinny
little slip of a thing? That was Enamra? She was just a child
and...and...she was pretty! Jalodwyn felt a surge of jealousy and set
her jaw, striding forward to confront the smaller girl.

"You've got to be kidding me," Thayde muttered to himself as he
retrieved his last bag. He could have sworn that he'd told the
cabinboy to make sure that all of his things were ready to go on the
top deck. After days apart from Enamra, he was eager to see his wife,
have a real shave, sleep in his own bed, and be as far away from
Jalodwyn as possible. He had been anxious to be first off the ship, to
avoid any messy attempt at goodbyes from Jalodwyn, so he was relieved
when he gathered his bags and gained the pier with no sight of the
other dolphineer.

Enamra stared at the back of the woman as she walked away, feeling
the hot sting of tears well up in her eyes. Jalodwyn was beautiful,
curvaceous, and confident... and was giving Thayde something that she
was too scared to. She was pregnant... with Thayde's baby. She'd
spent the whole trip sharing a room with him. Enamra's shoulders
slumped. She was the reason Thayde wasn't doing the right thing by
Jalodwyn. She wiped at her eyes quickly, humiliation warring with
guilt and anger. He'd promised that he wouldn't... but the whole
trip? In the same room?

The crowd shifted some and Thayde felt his heart leap a bit as he
finally caught sight of Enamra. She was a vision, a sight for very
sore eyes, he decided, as he took in the beautiful dress that
accentuated her trim figure. "Enamra," he called her name with a smile
parting his lightly bearded face.

She turned towards his voice and the hurt in her eyes shone clearly.
The smile he wore was like a slap in the face, another blow to the
crumbling bit of self worth that's she'd been trying so hard to build
back up. How could he smile like that? Like nothing happened? As soon
as he drew near, instead of leaping into his arms like had originally
planned, her hands balled onto fists. She was, for the first time
she could ever really remember, really furious. She spun away without
a word, walking quickly to their apartment without him.

"Enamra?" Thayde called out in confusion, brow furrowed. Where was she
going? The set of her jaw had made it look as if she were angry. He
had thought she would be happy to see him back. They'd parted on
_very_ good terms, if his memory served him.

"Master Thayde? What would you like for me to do with the tools and bags?"

"Just take them to the infirmary," Thayde instructed the apprentice as
he shouldered his own satchel of clothing and followed after his wife.

"And now she knows." A satisfied voice called out. Uncaring of the
crowd or the interested looks that turned in her direction, Jalodwyn
lifted her chin. "About me carrying your child. Everything." The gasps
and murmurs of the crowd were like music to her ears. "That you spent
the whole trip with me, but refuse responsibility for the baby." More
shocked murmurs followed as gazes turned to Thayde. Jalodwyn turned on
her heel and walked away, back stiff.

Thayde couldn't believe it. He stood in the midst of the gawkers with
a stunned expression on his face. He hadn't thought Jalodwyn would
have thrown her own reputation in the mud just for the sake of trying
to publicly embarrass him. Everyone thinking he had fathered an
illegitimate child wasn't easy but being a single woman pregnant by a
married man didn't exact look good on Jalodwyn either.

Edging his way through the others at the docks, Thayde made for his
quarters at a fast clip. He didn't care what others thought of him or
his choices, but what Enamra thought was crucial.

"Enamra?" he called hesitantly, pushing the door open to their living
room and setting his bag down by the door.

A soft sniffle and a hiccup of a sob answered him. Enamra sat on the
couch, head bowed and shoulders slumped, as she stared at her hands.
"It's true, isn't it? All of it. Did you know that she was going to
be on duty with you too? Or was that just something else you decided
not to tell me?"

Thayde knelt in front of his wife and took her hands. "Enamra, I had
no idea she was going to be on the ship until I got aboard. As far as
her being pregnant, Ada says that she is, but there is no guarantee
that it is mine. I certainly don't plan on acting as if it is."

"And you slept in there same room with her the whole trip. She's
pretty and... she's nicer looking than me." Her hands lay limply in
his, the confrontation with Jalodwyn leaving her feeling humiliated,
angry, and confused. She lifted her gaze to look at Thayde, angry
hurt in them. "You said you were mine. You said that. What if the
baby is yours? What then? She said the only reason you weren't being
responsible was me. That it was my fault. Cause you feel sorry for
me. "

"There wasn't another place on the ship to stay, trust me. I looked
for even an open hammock with the crew below deck. Nothing happened."
Thayde said, although he knew that his past record would make it hard
for Enamra to believe him. "Theres obviously a chance that the baby is
mine, but there's also a large chance that it isn't. We were together
one time, who knows who else she has been with." He gave her hands a
firm squeeze. "I am yours, no matter what Enamra."

"But if you weren't married to me, you'd take responsibility?" The
question was more of a statement, than anything else. He'd taken
responsibility for her and married her when he'd actually done
nothing. Her lower lip trembled. "If there's a chance you are,
Thayde, you should. At least until it's certain." Her eyes closed and
she swallowed. "Being alone and pregnant is scary. And if it's yours,
then... then you need to do the right thing. Doroon didn't, and
you're better than that. "

The muscle in Thayde's jaw ticked. "This is nothing like you and
Doroon. Jalodwyn is a grown woman who made her choices and it is naive
of you to think that I am the only man that she's spread her legs
for." He regretted the crude illustration, but he was tired of
Jalodwyn holding his relationship with Enamra hostage because of "what
ifs." Thayde let go of Enamra's hands and stood. "I am going to take a
real bath and sleep in our bed for the first time in a fortnight. It
would be nice if my wife were around and acted as if she were actually
happy to see me when I wake up." He began unbuttoning his shirt as he
walked toward their bedroom to retrieve a towel and fresh clothes.

She blinked, surprised at his vehemence and the crudity. Maybe she
was naive, but Jalodwyn's words had rattled and had completely ruined
the homecoming that she had planned. Sucking in her lower lip, she
watched as he walked into their bedroom. Why was he mad at her? Words
burst out of her before she could stop them. "This isn't my fault,
Thayde. I was happy you were coming home. I missed you. I wasn't
expecting _her_. It made me feel horrible and stupid and... and...
ugly!"

Thayde turned and looked at her. "You _allow_ her to make you feel
that way, Enamra. I've chosen you over her and tried to prove it to
you in a multitude of ways. If all of the times we've made love
haven't proved how much I desire you and want to be with you, then I'm
not sure what else to do."

"How am I not supposed to? it's like...like she knows what you want
and is giving it to you when you want it! " Jalodwyn was also
beautiful and curvaceous and fully mature, something that Enamra was
far too aware that she was not. "You wanted _that_ and it happened.
And you want babies and...now she's...it feels like I'm failing as a
wife. Cause I'm not giving that to you too and she is." Frustrated at
her inability to really explain, Enamra rose. her hands fisting in her
skirts. "I don't know what to do! And I'm angry and I wanted to jump
on you when you got home and kiss you and drag you to bed for the rest
of the day and that's ruined too and I'm frustrated because it's all
her fault and now you're mad at me!"

Crossing the distance between them in a few long strides, Thayde took Enamra's face in his hands and kissed her with all of the pent up urgency that had been gathering since the day that they parted. He had wanted nothing more than to spend the day reuniting with his young wife, rather than talking about Jalodwyn.

Enamra gasped against Thayde's mouth for only an instant before she responded in kind, wrapping her arms around his neck and in an instant of feverish impulse, jumped, wrapping her legs around his waist. Her shirts hiked upwards nearly to her waist, but she didn't care. He was _hers_, all hers, and she had waited two long sevendays for him. Jalodwyn, she decided in an instant, couldn't have him. She wouldn't let her!

Last updated on the December 18th 2019

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Ruined Reunion